6 of the top retreats and spas to beat burnout
'Burnout' is a term we've become increasingly familiar with over the past decade. A report published at the beginning of 2024 by charity Mental Health UK revealed one in five people polled had to take time off work due to a mental health crisis. Another shocking statistic: with 35% of adults experiencing extreme stress, the UK could wind up a 'burnt-out nation'. In a frenetic, increasingly inter-connected world, it can feel like there's no escape.
Thankfully, more of us are recognising the symptoms and seeking help — and it's out there. A growing number of wellness centres are offering tailored burnout breaks; examples include a 28-day immersive programme at Clinic Les Alpes in Switzerland and a digital detox at The Burnout Recovery Journey at the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey County, California. The latter targets tech-fatigue with a 'disconnect to reconnect' approach, alongside sleep hypnosis.
Michelle Thomas, meanwhile, founded Portuguese retreat centre, Quinta Carvalhas. 'Common threads of burnout are chronic fatigue, mental fog, detachment and a growing sense that even small tasks are overwhelming,' she explains. 'Very commonly, people just 'don't feel like themselves'. They obsess over getting small unimportant tasks exactly right while neglecting the bigger things. That's what we tackle here.'
In the UK, there's Unplugged, with 20 off-grid cabins nationwide. Co-founder Hector Hughes says he experienced burnout himself while working on a tech start-up. After spending two weeks at a silent retreat in the Himalayas, he hatched a plan to create his own retreats, where guests completely switch off (you hand over your devices at check-in) and recharge surrounded by nature.
The formats of burnout retreats vary, with some focusing on talking therapies while others provide silence and seclusion to soothe strung-out spirits. What they all agree on, however, is the need for a nurturing and replenishing environment — a safe space. Below, we shine a spotlight on six of the best, from a mindfulness break in Portugal to a hiking sojourn in Canada.
'Firmete' means 'take a break' in the Puglian dialect, and the ethos of this new retreat revolves around creating a sanctuary for the mind. The concept forms part of a revitalised wellness programme at Borgo Egnazia, set in an ancient borgo (hamlet) in the peaceful Puglian countryside, in southern Italy. The five-day programme allows guests to pause, breathe and re-focus. Bespoke workshops have been designed to help them regain balance, free the mind from negativity and support cognitive function through activities such as juggling and outdoor yoga. These are blended with more traditional approaches such a massage and meditation, while sensory walks and forest bathing among olive trees encourage guests to reconnect with nature. The five-day retreat costs from €4,720 (£3,900) per person on a full-board basis.
This farm-turned-luxury-retreat is the kind of place where you can pad to breakfast in your pyjamas. Owner, yoga teacher and reiki master Michelle Thomas explains that guests arrive expecting to be active and do things, but as they find inner peace and stillness, they gradually let go. It takes a minimum of three days' deep rest, she says, before energy levels rise and they have the mental space to engage. Quinta Carvalhas is an hour from Lisbon in the rolling green Ribatejo countryside. The team helps guests put together their own tailor-made retreat, choosing from activities such as sound healing sessions, yoga, meditation, reiki and art and equine therapy (utilising the healing power of horses). Swimming in the sprawling saltwater pool, listening to the birds sing, watching the sun set over the pond and feeling the earth beneath their feet also helps to reground and reconnect people with both nature and themselves. Prices start from around €720 (£595) per person for a three-night stay on a full-board basis.
Wellness travel pioneer Stella Photi founded Wellbeing Escapes after a high-flying career led her to experience burnout first hand. She sees it as a modern-day epidemic. 'A survey we conducted last year showed that 53% of our clients named it as a top reason for booking with us,' she says. 'I believe burnout comes from normalising or pushing through chronic stress symptoms, and we're seeing a growing demand for specialist retreats to help beat it.' So much so that in March she's launching an annual two-day retreat to teach preventative techniques and share her experience and expertise. She's bringing in experts such as transformational coach and author Claudia Roth. The retreat will be held at 17th-century Tofte Manor, surrounded by a 50-acre estate. Dedicated to self-care, it will show how to reduce chronic stress, slow down and guard against burnout. Activities will include mindful movement, such as restorative yoga and qigong, stress management, seasonal eating and journaling workshops, plus pre-sleep sound baths to calm the nervous system. The two-night retreat runs from 14-16 March and costs £595 per person full-board in a shared room.
A desert-meets-coast oasis on the northern tip of Qatar, the Middle Eastern outpost of legendary Thai wellness resort Chiva-Som is low-slung and honey-hued, with architecture designed to resemble a traditional Qatari village. Chiva-Som's wellbeing philosophy believes that a balanced mind, body and spirit makes people thrive. Here, the team look to achieve this by blending traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine (TAIM) with modern therapies, and the personalised burnout retreats start with a wellness consultation. From there, therapists create a targeted, tailor-made stress reset programme. Designed to help guests recuperate from mental fatigue and make sustainable lifestyle changes, each day features a mix of holistic activities and relaxing treatments such as the Tadleek massage with heated stones and herbal oils to help lymphatic drainage. Add this to meditation, pranayama breathing, reiki and the slow rhythmic movements of Tai Chi, guests learn to switch off. From £650 per person per night.
Disconnecting from the noise and distractions of the modern world can relieve the symptoms of adrenal burnout. The Maamunagau Resort in the Maldives has recognised the healing power of peace and quiet, and the Hermit Days Silent Immersion programme allows guests to sink into stillness surrounded by the beauty of the Raa Atoll. Days are spent in privacy and seclusion, while a dedicated wellness mentor designs a personalised programme of activities and mindfulness practices. Yoga, meditation and spa treatments promote relaxation and help guests reconnect with themselves. 'Our silent retreats were inspired by a desire to create a sanctuary for those seeking a break from their busy lives,' wellness mentor Seema Rana explains. 'This state of quietness allows individuals to reflect on their thoughts and emotions in a focused manner. By integrating mindfulness practices and holistic wellness approaches, we aim to support people in achieving a deeper sense of peace.' Villas from £780 per night based on two sharing.
'Health, happiness and hiking' is the promise of this retreat, set in British Columbia's majestic mountains. For the past 30 years, from a base in a pine-cradled lodge, Mountain Trek has been helping people reboot their minds and bodies. Created as a place to unplug and recharge, it encourages guests to start the day with a green smoothie and detoxifying lemon and ginger tea. From there, expect daily three- to four-hour hikes, functional fitness classes, lifestyle talks, sunrise yoga, guided relaxation sessions and therapeutic massages. There's no alcohol, caffeine or sugar on site and the combination of physical exertion, recovery massages and mental health discussions combine to help guests return home revitalised, their physical, emotional and mental health rebalanced. A one-week Health Reset Package costs from £5,250 per person on an all-inclusive basis.
Published in the Spa & Wellness Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
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National Geographic
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If you're looking for a loyal, low-shedding giant with presence and brains, the Black Russian Terrier is a standout among large dog breeds. Other terrier breeds worth noting include the Airedale Terrier and Kerry Blue Terrier, both medium-to-large dogs with wiry coats that shed very little. While not as large as others on this list, they are bigger than most small hypoallergenic dogs and still offer a robust, energetic presence. Hairless breeds like the Mexican Hairless Dog (Xoloitzcuintli) and Peruvian Hairless Dog (Peruvian Inca Orchid) also appeal to those looking for dogs that don't shed. These hairless and coated varieties require very little grooming, though they do need skin care and sun protection. Choosing from the many low shedding dog breeds available doesn't mean giving up your dream of owning a large dog. 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Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
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I keep going back to Newfoundland. I've made 20 trips there
We asked Star readers to tell us about trips they have taken and to share their experience and advice: Where: Newfoundland When: September 2024 Trip rating: 4.5/5 What inspired you to take this trip? I have travelled most of the world, but the one place that keeps drawing me back, on an annual basis, is Newfoundland. I have made more than 20 trips there. Each has rewarded me with something new every time. The inspiration for this trip was to make it a bit different by taking a new approach. Don't just drive, but try to look beyond the obvious by digging for the hidden gems of stories from the past. In a previous year, I had explored the Baie Verte Peninsula. This trip was going to take me to the other four and much larger peninsulas: Avalon, Bonavista, Burin and Great Northern. What was the best sight? The scenery along St. Mary's Bay was outstanding. The beaches were clean, and the presence of lots of cages showed this to be an active lobster fishing area. Quite by accident and in the mood for exploring, I turned onto a gravel road toward Portugal Cove (Portugal Cove-St. Philip's), a Portuguese fishing community dating back to the 1500s. The road was full of deep ruts and quite dusty. I did not know where I was going and almost turned back. The road came to a dead end at the Cape Race Lighthouse, a National Historic Site. The Lighthouse is not only the oldest one in Newfoundland, but it also has one of the most powerful lights in the world. To this day, it is the first and last light seen by many ships crossing the Atlantic. This lighthouse also played a pivotal role in communicating enemy ship or submarine activity in both world wars. What was your favourite activity? While I did not set out to do so, it did end up that my activities focused on visiting historic sites. Cape Race also had Newfoundland's first wireless station. Hard-copy news bulletins would arrive from Europe in boats. These would be retrieved, then transmitted by the Marconi wireless telegraph to news organizations, primarily in New York. In April 1912, the wireless station received one of the first distress calls made from the Titanic. Today, the Myrick Wireless Interpretative Centre gives a full account of the fateful event. It also houses many artifacts rescued and has a wall banner providing the names of all those who were victims of the disaster. The site is the closest point of land to the Titanic's resting place. What was the most delicious thing you ate? Dining in rural areas and small towns provided home-cooked meals. Because it was so good, cod was the main course I had most nights for dinner. The cod dinner in Aquaforte, at Bernard Kavanagh's Million Dollar View Restaurant, is memorable. The view made the evening perfect. What was the most memorable thing you learned? This is the trip that taught me how much Newfoundland offered to the overall history of Canada. On Conception Bay, the visit to Cupids Cove offered a glimpse of the first English settlement in what became Canada. Further along, in Harbour Grace, I saw the place, where, in 1932, Amelia Earhart was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean to successfully land in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Along Trinity Bay, I stopped in Heart's Content. Here, there is a line going across the road, where the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was brought ashore in 1866. On Placentia Bay and overlooking the town of Placentia (original French capital of Newfoundland) is the 17th-century Castle Hill fort, built by the French to control the lucrative cod fishing of the Grand Banks. It took me an afternoon to complete the audio tour of this huge fort. I also paid a visit to L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, a Norse settlement in North America dating to approximately 1,000 years ago. Other early settlers? I visited the monument dedicated to John Cabot. In 1497, this explorer landed in Cape Bonavista, on the coast of Newfoundland, making him the first known European to do so since the Norse visits in the 11th century. What is one piece of advice you would give? Not every port, town or hamlet had accommodations, restaurants or a gas station. Book well in advance, and fill gas at every opportunity, even if not needed. Carry snacks and beverages, and be aware of the fact that there are no roadside rest stops. Being alone and frequently without cell service, being stranded was not an option I wanted to cope with. I have booked my next visit and know without planning and research I will miss the many stories and sites that make trips so interesting. Wilhelmina (Willy) Wilkins, Richmond Hill, Ont. READERS ' TIPS We've launched a series that invites Star readers to share places they've visited recently and would recommend, whether it's a weekend getaway in Elora, a Banff canoe trip, or a jaunt to Victoria, B.C. If you've been, loved it and want to tell us about it, we'd like to hear from you. Email us with 'TRAVEL TIPS' in the subject line at travel@ . Please include brief responses to these questions. If your holiday experience is chosen, we'll be in touch. 1. Where did you go and when was it? 2. Where did you stay? 3. What was a highlight of your trip? Why? 4. Any travel tips?
